A computer network includes two or more computers or other communication devices that are connected with one another so that each computer or device can send and receive information in data packet format from the others. In addition to providing physical connections between computers or devices in the network, a computer network provides a data transmission architecture. Logically, the data transmission architecture can be divided into layers in a layered protocol system, each layer providing a different function. Generally one layer is responsible for adding data checking to data packets so that errors in transmission can be caught and corrected by a retransmission of the data packet.
Conventional methods require the incoming data packet to be latched before it can be processed and thus delay processing of the data packet. Conventional circuit implementations also consume large amounts of silicon area on the integrated circuits chips because of the number of devices required to latch and switch the data packets during processing of the data packet, thus increasing hardware costs.
Therefore, there is a need for a more efficient method and circuit for data packet processing and transmission in a layered protocol system.